6/1/2018 Role of Livestock in Indian Economy — Vikaspedia

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This topic provides information about the role of livestock in Indian economy
Role of Livestock in Indian Economy

Contents

1. Livestock resources
2. Contribution of livestock to people
3. Role of livestock in farmers’ economy
4. Livestock population (2012 Livestock census)
5. Production of livestock in India 2015-16

Livestock plays an important role in Indian economy. About 20.5 million people depend upon livestock for their livelihood. Livestock contributed 16% to the income
of small farm households as against an average of 14% for all rural households. Livestock provides livelihood to two-third of rural community. It also provides
employment to about 8.8 % of the population in India. India has vast livestock resources. Livestock sector contributes 4.11% GDP and 25.6% of total Agriculture
GDP.

Livestock resources
India is

World’s highest livestock owner at about 512.05 million

First in the total buffalo population in the world - 105.3 million buffaloes
Second in the population of cattle and goats - 140.5 million goats
Second largest poultry market in the world - production of 63 billion eggs and 649 million poultry meat.
Third in the population of sheep (72 millions)
Fifth in in the population of ducks and chicken
Tenth in camel population in the world.

Contribution of livestock to people

The livestock provides food and non-food items to the people.

1. Food: The livestock provides food items such as Milk, Meat and Eggs for human consumption. India is number one milk producer in the world.
It is producing about 163.7 million tones of milk in a year (2016-17). Similarly it is producing about 88.81 billions of eggs, 8.89 million tonnes of
meat in a year. The value of output of livestock sector at current prices was Rs 5,91,691 crores in 2015-16.
2. Fibre and skins: The livestock also contributes to the production of wool, hair, hides, and pelts. Leather is the most important product which
has a very high export potential. India is producing about 47.9 million Kg of wool per annum.
3. Draft: Bullocks are the back bone of Indian agriculture. Despite lot of advancements in the use of mechanical power in Indian agricultural
operations, the Indian farmer especially in rural areas still depend upon bullocks for various agricultural operations. The bullocks are saving a
lot on fuel which is a necessary input for using mechanical power like tractors, combine harvesters etc. Pack animals like camels, horses,
donkeys, ponies, mules etc are being extensively used to transport goods in different parts of the country in addition to bullocks. In situations
like hilly terrains mules and ponies serve as the only alternative to transport goods. Similarly, the army has to depend upon these animals to
transport various items in high areas of high altitude.
4. Dung and other animal waste materials: Dung and other animal wastes serve as very good farm yard manure and the value of it is worth
several crores of rupees. In addition it is also used as fuel (bio gas, dung cakes), and for construction as poor man’s cement (dung).
5. Storage: Livestock are considered as “moving banks” because of their potentiality to dispose off during emergencies. They serve as capital
and in cases of landless agricultural labourers many time it is the only capital resource they possess. Livestock serve as an asset and in case

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6/1/2018 Role of Livestock in Indian Economy — Vikaspedia
of emergencies they serve as guarantee for availing loans from the local sources such as money lenders in the villages.
6. Weed control: Livestock are also used as Biological control of brush, plants and weeds.
7. Cultural: Livestock offer security to the owners and also add to their self esteem especially when they are owning prized animals such as
pedigreed bulls, dogs and high yielding cows/ buffaloes etc.
8. Sports / recreation: People also use the animals like cocks, rams, bulls etc for competition and sports. Despite ban on these animal
competitions the cock fights, ram fights and bull fights (jalli kattu) are quite common during festive seasons.
9. Companion animals: Dogs are known for their faithfulness and are being used as companions since time immemorial. When the nuclear
families are increasing in number and the old parents are forced to lead solitary life the dogs, cats are providing the needed company to the
latter thus making them lead a comfortable life.

Role of livestock in farmers’ economy

The livestock plays an important role in the economy of farmers. The farmers in India maintain mixed farming system i.e. a combination of crop and livestock
where the output of one enterprise becomes the input of another enterprise thereby realize the resource efficiency. The livestock serve the farmers in different
ways.

1. Income: Livestock is a source of subsidiary income for many families in India especially the resource poor who maintain few heads of animals.
Cows and buffaloes if in milk will provide regular income to the livestock farmers through sale of milk. Animals like sheep and goat serve as
sources of income during emergencies to meet exigencies like marriages, treatment of sick persons, children education, repair of houses etc.
The animals also serve as moving banks and assets which provide economic security to the owners.
2. Employment: A large number of people in India being less literate and unskilled depend upon agriculture for their livelihoods. But agriculture
being seasonal in nature could provide employment for a maximum of 180 days in a year. The land less and less land people depend upon
livestock for utilizing their labour during lean agricultural season.
3. Food: The livestock products such as milk, meat and eggs are an important source of animal protein to the members of the livestock owners.
4. Social security: The animals offer social security to the owners in terms of their status in the society. The families especially the landless
which own animals are better placed than those who do not. Gifting of animals during marriages is a very common phenomenon in different
parts of the country. Rearing of animals is a part of the Indian culture. Animals are used for various socio religious functions. Cows for house
warming ceremonies; rams, bucks and chicken for sacrifice during festive seasons; Bulls and Cows are worshipped during various religious
functions. Many owners develop attachment to their animals.
5. Draft : The bullocks are the back bone of Indian agriculture. The farmers especially the marginal and small depend upon bullocks for
ploughing, carting and transport of both inputs and outputs.
6. Dung: In rural areas dung is used for several purposes which include fuel (dung cakes), fertilizer (farm yard manure), and plastering material
(poor man’s cement).

Livestock population (2012 Livestock census)

Sl. No Species Number Ranking in the world population

(in millions)

01 Cattle 190.9 Second

02 Buffaloes 108.7 First

Total (including Mithun and Yak) 300 First

03 Sheep 65.0 Third

04 Goats 135.2 Second

05 Pigs 10.3 -

06 Others 1.7 -

Total livestock 512.3

Total poultry 729.2 Seventh

07 Duck -

08 Chicken - Fifth

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6/1/2018 Role of Livestock in Indian Economy — Vikaspedia
09 Camel - Tenth

Production of livestock in India 2015-16

Sl. No. Product Quantity Ranking in the world production

01 MILK in million tonnes 155.50 FIRST

02 EGGS in billions ( nos) 82.93 THIRD

03 MEAT million tonnes 7.02 NA

04 WOOL in million kgs. 47.9 NA

05 FISH in lakh tonnes 107.90 SECOND

Source: Annual Report 2016-17, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Govt. of India.

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